


Of Unusual Size

by octopus_fool



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Bats, Gen, Some Humor, dain2k15
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4406540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/octopus_fool/pseuds/octopus_fool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dáin sends his son Thorin to scout out a cave. When Thorin returns, nobody quite believes him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Unusual Size

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the prompt for day 4 of dain2k15, “No really, it was this big…” but it turned out to have a bit more Thorin Stonehelm in it than Dáin (sorry!). But since he needs some love too… :)
> 
> I hope the textover for the Khuzdul works, if not, there’s a wordbank at the end.

Thorin hurried towards his father. “We should find somewhere else to stay the night. Far away from that cave.” He was slightly out of breath.

“Why?” Dáin asked. “What did you see? Can we perhaps drive whatever it was out of there? There aren’t that many caves around here and it would be nice if we could use that one to make camp.”

“I don’t think so,” Thorin said, shuddering. “There was a bat in there.”

Skofti and Frái began laughing. 

“That’s not too surprising for a cave,” Skofti said. “That’s where bats live after all.”

Thorin scowled. “It wasn’t an ordinary bat! It was at least this size!” He spread his arms apart as wide as he could.

Skofti, Frái and Dáin stared at him. 

“You got a good fright when you saw it, didn’t you?” Frái asked. 

Thorin nodded hesitantly. “Of course I did. You would have too if that thing had flown at you!”

“You know that when people get a fright, they tend to make an animal two or three times as large as its actual size?” Frái asked. “Perhaps it was just a large fruit bat that flew a bit further north than its usually range.”

“No really, it was that big!” Thorin insisted. “I wouldn’t say so otherwise! And even a large fruit bat wouldn’t be that big, not even if I exaggerated. This was something else!”

“Enough!” Dáin said. “My son may barely be of age, but he does not make a habit of exaggerating or telling tales, which cannot be said for you, Skofti. If he says there was a huge bat in there, then I believe him! Skofti, Frái, Thorin, get your weapons. We are going to see if we can drive it out. The rest of the you stays here.”

He took his axe from his belt and marched off into the trees towards the cave Thorin had scouted out earlier.

The others followed, Skofti grumbling quietly about how this was a waste of time and that they should just move their packs and ponies into the cave already. 

Frái gave him a light shove. “If the king says we take a look at this, then that is what we do. I know that might have been different in the small town you came from, but these are the Iron Hills.”

Skofti closed his mouth, knowing by now that her advice was best followed. 

They walked through the copse of trees and climbed up the slope. When they got to the narrow entrance of the cave, they were greeted by a stench that nearly made them take a step backwards.

/Are you sure you saw a bat, not a troll?/ Frái signed at Thorin.

/One has wings, the other is as likely to lift off the ground as a mountain,/ Thorin signed back. /Yes, of course I’m certain! Do you take me to be the most foolish of all fools?/

/No, it’s just that the smell is almost as bad as that of a troll hoard./ She replied.

Dáin made an impatient sign and they turned their attention back to the task at hand. 

/In which direction did the bat go?/ Dáin asked his son.

Thorin gestured towards the right side of the cave. Spreading out, they slowly made their way into the cave. 

The flutter of wings alerted them only seconds before an enormous bat swooped towards them. They ducked.

"[Mahal faslmagânu zanatul]()!"

"[Rum gabura]()!"

"[Mahal zai abra’]()!"

The bat swooped over them and Frái attempted to shoot an arrow at it.

“We retreat!” Dáin bellowed. “Out of the cave!”

They scrabbled out of the cave and into the copse of trees before Dáin signalled for them to stop. Hiding behind some bushes, they watched the entrance of the cave. 

“Do you believe me now?” Thorin whispered, gasping for breath.

“What was that thing?” Skofti asked.

“Definitely not a fruit bat,” Frái said.

“No,” Dáin agreed. “Ordinary bats will leave their caves at daytime if startled. That bat is making sure it stays in the darkness. I’d say it is orc-bred, probably in Dol-Guldur. We leave immediately and try to put as much distance between us and this cave before the light is gone. We will return to defeat it and any others that may be in there some other time with more warriors.”

They nodded and began hurrying back to where they had left their companions, ponies and packs.

Frái found a moment to pull Thorin aside nonetheless. “’Mahal on a cracker’? Really? You do know you are of age and can curse accordingly, don’t you?”

Thorin felt the blood rush to his ears. “I know, it just slipped out.”

She laughed. “Well, that won’t save you. I have blackmail material against you now!”

Thorin just groaned and swung his pack back onto the pony, eager to leave.

**Author's Note:**

> Khuzdul:  
> Mahal faslmagânu zanatul! - Mahal’s hairy balls!  
> Rum gabura! - May it melt! / Fuck it!  
> Mahal zai abra’! - Mahal on a cracker!


End file.
